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Ghostbusters (2016 film)
Ghostbusters (also known as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call and marketed as such on home release) is a 2016 3D supernatural comedy film directed by Paul Feig, written by Feig and Katie Dippold and starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth. Telling the story of four women who start a ghost-catching business in New York City, it is the third feature film in the Ghostbusters franchise and serves as a reboot to the previous films. A third Ghostbusters film had been in various stages of development following the release of Ghostbusters II in 1989. As a result of original cast member Bill Murray's refusal to commit to the project and the death of fellow cast member Harold Ramis in 2014, Sony decided to reboot the series. Much of the original film's cast make cameo appearances in new roles. The announcement of the female-led cast in 2015 drew a polarized response from the public and Internet backlash. Distributed by Columbia Pictures, the film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 9, 2016 and was released theatrically in the United States on July 15, 2016, in 2D, 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D. The film grossed $229 million worldwide against a production budget of $144 million. Due to the high budget and large amount spent on marketing, the film is considered a box office bomb. Plot Physicists Abby Yates and Erin Gilbert are co-authors of a research book which posits the existence of paranormal phenomena, such as ghosts. Erin has disowned the work and become a professor at Columbia University, while Abby continues to study the paranormal at a technical college with eccentric engineer Jillian Holtzmann. Erin learns Abby has republished the book, threatening her bid for tenure at Columbia. She reunites with Abby and, in exchange for Abby removing the book from publication, reluctantly agrees to assist her and Jillian in a paranormal investigation. The group witness the malevolent ghost of Gertrude Altridge, restoring Erin's belief in the paranormal. However, a video of their investigation is posted online, and Erin is fired by the university. She joins Abby and Jillian's project, but when a new institute director learns its nature, he dismisses them. They open an office above a Chinese restaurant and call themselves the "Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination". They build equipment to study and capture ghosts, and hire the dimwitted but handsome Kevin Beckman as a receptionist. MTA staffer Patty Tolan witnesses a ghost in a subway line and contacts the group. They document the ghost and successfully test Jillian's proton containment laser, but their findings are again dismissed. They continue to develop their technology and advertise their services as what pundits have dubbed the "Ghostbusters". Patty joins the team, providing historical knowledge of New York City and a repurposed hearse, "Ecto-1". Unbeknownst to the Ghostbusters, the ghosts are being summoned by devices built by Rowan North, an occultist attempting to bring about the apocalypse. When Rowan plants another device at a live music venue, the Ghostbusters are called in and capture the ghost in front of the audience. When supernatural debunker Dr. Martin Heiss challenges the Ghostbusters, the incensed Erin releases the ghost as proof; it throws Heiss out of a window and escapes. The Ghostbusters are brought to Mayor Bradley and his secretary Jennifer Lynch, who reveal that the city and the Department of Homeland Security are aware of New York's ghost problem. While privately supporting the team's work, the mayor's office and the DHS publicly denounce them as fraudsters. The Ghostbusters realize that Rowan is planting his devices along ley lines, which intersect at the Mercado Hotel in Times Square, a site with a history of paranormal activity, and discover Rowan building a portal to the ghost dimension in the hotel basement. To avoid capture, Rowan electrocutes himself, after which Jillian deactivates the portal. Erin discovers a copy of her and Abby's book among Rowan's possessions and realizes that he killed himself so he could become a ghost and command a spirit army. Rowan returns as a powerful ghost, possessing Abby and then Kevin. As Kevin, he opens the portal and releases hundreds of ghosts. The police and DHS are subdued, but the Ghostbusters fight through the army of ghosts to reach the portal. Rowan takes the form of the ghost in the Ghostbusters' logo, grows to enormous height, and attacks the city. The team devises a plan to use Ecto-1's nuclear reactor to close the portal and return the ghosts to their own dimension. The plan succeeds, but Rowan drags Abby into the portal with him; Erin leaps into the portal and rescues her as Rowan is obliterated. The mayor's office agrees to secretly fund the Ghostbusters' research while continuing to publicly denounce them as frauds. With new funding, the Ghostbusters move to a better facility, a disused fire house. New York lights up with thanks and tributes to the Ghostbusters. In a post-credits scene, Patty listens to a recording of a ghost encounter and asks the others if they have heard of Zuul. Cast * Melissa McCarthy as Dr. Abigail "Abby" Yates, a physicist and paranormal researcher who founds the Ghostbusters with Gilbert and Holtzmann * Kristen Wiig as Dr. Erin Gilbert, a physicist who co-founds the Ghostbusters after she loses tenure at Columbia University * Kate McKinnon as Dr. Jillian "Holtz" Holtzmann, an eccentric engineer who co-founds the Ghostbusters and builds their equipment * Leslie Jones as Patricia "Patty" Tolan, an MTA worker with extensive New York City knowledge who becomes the Ghostbusters' first recruit * Chris Hemsworth as Kevin Beckman, the Ghostbusters' handsome but dimwitted secretary * Neil Casey as Rowan North, an embittered mad scientist who unleashes ghosts on New York City * Andy García as Mayor Bradley * Cecily Strong as Jennifer Lynch, the mayor's assistant * Charles Dance as Harold Filmore, the Dean of the Columbia University * Michael K. Williams as Agent Hawkins * Matt Walsh as Agent Rourke * Ed Begley Jr. as Ed Mulgrave Jr. * Steve Higgins as Thomas Shanks, the Dean of the Kenneth P. Higgins Institute * Justin Kirk as Phil Hudson, Erin's boyfriend (Extended Edition) * Elizabeth Perkins as Phyllis Adler (Extended Edition) * Michael McDonald as Jonathan, a theater manager * Karan Soni as Benny * Zach Woods as Garett, a tour guide at the Aldridge Mansion * Nate Corddry as Leif, a graffiti artist * Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Potter, a guest in the Mercado Hotel (Extended Edition) * Brian Baumgartner as Frank, a guest in the Mercado Hotel (Extended Edition) * Toby Huss as Officer Stevenson * Katie Dippold as a rental agent * Jessica Chaffin as a waitress * Jamie Denbo as a waitress * Bess Rous as Gertrude Aldridge's ghost * Dave Allen as an electrocuted ghost * Steve Bannos as a flasher ghost * Adam Ray as Slimer (voice) * Sam Richardson as Basement Cop Cameos * Bill Murray as Martin Heiss, a paranormal debunker * Dan Aykroyd as a taxi driver * Ernie Hudson as Bill Jenkins, Patty's funeral director uncle * Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Rebecca Gorin, Holtzmann's mentor * Annie Potts as Vanessa, the desk clerk at the Mercado Hotel * Ivan Reitman as passerby * Ozzy Osbourne as himself (listed as "Famous Rock Star") * Al Roker as himself * Pat Kiernan as himself * Greg Kelly as himself * Rosanna Scotto as herself A bronze bust of the late Harold Ramis is seen in the hallway outside Dr. Gilbert's office, appearing when Dean Filmore leaves. Production Development A third Ghostbusters film had been in various stages of development following the release of Ghostbusters II in 1989.1112 Bill Murray, who played Ghostbuster Peter Venkman in the original films, was reluctant to participate as he felt Ghostbusters II had been lackluster and was critical of new scripts he had read. Dan Aykroyd, who co-starred in and co-wrote the original films, stated that the studio was aware that "without Murray there may be nothing there" for a sequel, and was considering a way to introduce a new generation of Ghostbusters.13 One script, Ghostbusters 3: Hellbent, written by Aykroyd in 1999, had Venkman leaving the Ghostbusters to spend time with Sigourney Weaver's character Dana Barrett; the remaining Ghostbusters, including a new younger member, fought souls that had been evicted from a hellish version of Manhattan known as Manhelltan.14 The Hellbent script was revised as Ghostbusters in Hell, with plans to replace Murray with Ben Stiller. The story had the Ghostbusters finding a portal to an alternate dimension in which "all the worst things about modern urban life" are "magnified"; traffic is stuck in perpetual gridlock and no two people speak the same language.15 Another story idea had Venkman transformed into a ghost.11 While the third film remained in development, Ghostbusters: The Video Game was developed by Terminal Reality and released in 2009. Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, cowriters of the original films, used the game to explore the Ghostbusters' history; all four original actors, including Murray, voiced their characters, along with other actors from the original films. Aykroyd considered the game "essentially the third movie".16 The game sold over a million units, prompting Columbia Pictures to move forward on the Ghostbusters franchise. Ramis stated that the new film would feature the original Ghostbusters but introduce new characters in a script written by Lee Eisenbergand Gene Stupnitsky, who had cowritten his 2009 comedy Year One. The movie was set to be filmed in 2010 and released in 2011.1718 Around March 2010, while the new script was being developed, Vulture reported that Columbia wanted to target a younger audience and that original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman was under pressure to step down in place of a younger director. Reitman, along with Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis, had long-standing contracts in place with Columbia that effectively allow any of them to veto the development of a Ghostbusters film.19 Murray had told GQ in 2010 that he felt the script written by Eisenberg and Stupnitsky was poor and "that dream just vaporized", but said that Columbia was pressuring him to make it.20 Aykroyd defended the script, saying that it offered Murray "the comic role of a lifetime".21 In January 2012 Aykroyd stated that the film was in "suspended animation" as Murray was still uncooperative. Aykroyd refused to recast the role as he would not make a film that "exploits the franchise".22By July 2012, the Eisenberg and Stupnitsky script had been discarded and new writers were working on a script.23 Murray's reluctance to commit to the project resulted in the decision to reboot the franchise instead.1124 In September 2012, Reitman suggested a remake of the original Ghostbusters, which would allow them to introduce a new cast.25 Reitman was working on a Ghostbusters reboot that would be written by Reitman, Etan Cohen, and Aykroyd and filmed in 2013.262728 Following Ramis's death in February 2014, Reitman left the director role to focus on smaller projects, but remained a producer to help Columbia and Sony find a new director for the film.29 At this point, the script featured the original Ghostbusters in minor roles.27 Pre-production Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported in August 2014 that Paul Feig had been selected as director and the reboot would feature an all-female cast.3031 Feig announced the film and his involvement in October 2014, along with co-writer Katie Dippold,32 and confirmed his intention to have the film "star hilarious women".33 Feig stated that he was partly inspired by the TV series The Walking Dead,34adding that his goal was to "tell a story you haven't seen before. Or tell a story you've seen before, but in a way you haven't seen it."35 Feig said that Sony Pictures Entertainment's co-chairman Amy Pascal had been pushing for comedy writers to produce a script for a new Ghostbusters film for some time, but he believed that most of these writers, like himself, did not want to ruin the canon of the original films. He also wanted to avoid a premise similar to Ghostbusters II, in which the Ghostbusters have to lose their success to begin a new story. This led to the idea of a reboot featuring a new set of characters, an idea that Pascal agreed with.36 Casting In January 2015, Feig confirmed his intention to use Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones in the lead roles. At that point, McCarthy had already committed to the film while Sony was in negotiations with the other three actresses.3738 Emma Stonewas approached to star but declined partly because she did not want to commit to a franchise.39 Cecily Strong, who appears in a supporting role, was also considered for a leading role.40 Aykroyd stated that he and his family were "delighted by this inheritance of the Ghostbusters torch by these most magnificent women in comedy."41 Filming Principal photography on the film began on June 17, 2015, in Boston.4243 Feig and the set dressers Carolyn Lassek and Claudia Bonfe consulted with MIT physicists before shooting.44 On June 29, 2015, Feig tweeted the costumes of the four Ghostbusters.45Filming also took place in Chinatown, Bostonfor a few days in early July 2015.46 On August 17, 2015, Hemsworth was spotted filming some scenes on the Ghostbusters bike.47 After finishing at the old Naval Air Station in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, filming began in Tribeca in New York City on September 12.4849 On September 15, filming was taking place in Waltham MA.50 Filming also took place outside of Columbia University in New York.49 Filming wrapped on September 19, 2015, in New York City.51 The subway scenes were filmed on a sound stage, as there is no Seward Street station in the New York City Subway. Reshoots happened in Los Angeles in May 2016,52 and included new scenes that served as a metafictional comment on the Internet controversy the film gathered.6 Effects Six companies dealt with the 1,700 visual effects shots, under the supervision of Pete Travers. The main studios were Sony Pictures Imageworks, with 300 shots that included the climactic Times Square sequence and all the proton beams,53 Moving Picture Company(MPC), with 250 shots that centered around the final battle which included Rowan's monster form,53 and Australian company Iloura, with 500 shots encompassing various ghosts.54While the majority of the work involved computer-generated imagery, there was an attempt to use various practical effects akin to the original movies, with Travers explaining it was done "not to pay homage, but because it was the best way to achieve the effect."55 Stand-ins for the ghosts were created on the set for the actors to interact with, including actresses suspended by wires, drones as references for flying ghosts, a Slimer puppet and giant balloons for a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man parade balloon. As the ghosts in the film glow, the doubles were covered in light-emitting diodes to provide lighting references for the effects crew.5657 The climactic Times Square sequence, which starts with the antagonist proclaiming "Welcome to the glory days of New York City", used special effects to transform it into a bygone mix of stores, buildings and billboards dating back through the decades. These included the Bond Clothing Store, neon signs for the defunct airlines Braniff International Airways (ended in 1982) and BOAC (ended in 1974), billboards advertising the release of the 1976 film Taxi Driver, the 1971 film Isle of the Snake People, and the 1962 to 1964 Broadway theatre production of Beyond the Fringe. The scene also included a combination of the Sony, Canadian Club, and Coca-Cola neon signs that lit up Times Square in different eras, marquees for the long departed Times Square movie theatres showing pornography films and the 1971 film Fists of Fury, and other chronological anachronisms.58 Music Soundtrack |- | colspan="2" | |- ! colspan="2" |Singles from Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |- | colspan="2" | # "Good Girls" Released: June 3, 2016 # "Saw It Coming" Released: June 10, 2016 # "Ghostbusters (I'm Not Afraid)" Released: June 23, 2016 # "Girls Talk Boys" Released: July 15, 2016 |} Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album released on July 15, 2016, by RCA Records.5960 It includes singles by Elle King, G-Eazy, and 5 Seconds of Summer. ; Track listing Charts Score |} Ghostbusters (Original Motion Picture Score)'is the film score, composed by Theodore Shapiro.65 It was available for digital downloadon July 8, 2016, and released on CD on July 15, 2016, by Sony Classical Records.6667 ; Track listing All music composed by Theodore Shapiro. Release Ghostbusters premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 9, 2016. It was theatrically released on July 11, 2016, in the United Kingdom and on July 15, 2016, in the United States.101 The film was not released in the Chinese market, with a Chinese executive reporting that China Film Group Corporationbelieved it was "not really that attractive to Chinese audiences. Most of the Chinese audience didn't see the first and second movies, so they don't think there's much market for it here."102 Marketing The first Ghostbusters trailer was released on March 3, 2016. It was viewed 24 million times in 24 hours on Facebook and YouTube,103 and more than 60 million times across all social media platforms in its first week.104 Original Ghostbusters cast members Murray, Aykroyd, Hudson and Potts joined the new cast on the June 8, 2016, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was entirely dedicated to the new film.105 Sony partnered with Snapchat to promote the film with "busting" and "sliming" features. The filter, which features the Ghostbusters logo, allows users to shoot at the character Slimer with their front-facing cameras and a virtual proton pack. In addition, 10-second video teaser ads ran within Snapchat’s Discover section.106 A novelization of the film, written by Nancy Holder, was published by Tor Books in 2016.107 Title The end credits use the title Ghostbusters: Answer the Call. Feig said this was added by the studio, who wanted to avoid confusion by having two films of the title Ghostbusters. He rejected the title Ghostbusters 2016, feeling it would date it. The studio chose Answer the Call; according to Feig, "I just said, 'Don’t put it on the front of the movie. If you put it on the end, I don’t care.'"5 Home media Ghostbusters was released on DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and 4K on October 11, 2016.108The Blu-ray version features an extended version of the film, which features the IMAX formatted version of the film, most prominently noted during action scenes and a wider scene where they go into the portal.needed References # '^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b c''' # ^ '''a b''' # ^ '''a b''' '''c # ^ a''' '''b # ^ a''' '''b # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' (subscription required) # ^ '''a b''' '''c # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ "Australiancharts.com – Soundtrack – Ghostbusters %5B2016%5D". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 6, 2018. # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' '''c d''' '''e # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b # ^ a''' '''b c''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # ^ '''a b''' '''c d''' # ^ '''a b''' '''c d''' '''e f''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b c''' # '''^ # ^ a''' '''b # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' (subscription required) # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ # ^''' # '''^ Breznican, Anthony (January 15, 2019). "Exclusive: Jason Reitman is directing a new 'Ghostbusters' movie". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 16, 2019. Category:Columbia Pictures films Category:Sony Pictures Entertainment Films Category:2016 films